56 - Murim Login

Chapter 56 The first to notice Icheonbaek's arrival was the Grand Elder. 'So the head has personally intervened.' The powerful energy and murderous intent radiating across the ravine was palpable without even needing to see it. And indeed, there he was. "These scoundrels!" With a thunderous roar, Icheonbaek appeared. His graying hair flowed like a mane, and his eyes were aflame with red fury. Following him was the core force of the Hengshan Sword Sect: first-rate martial artists and three top-tier masters. “Wipe out the Taeweon Jin clan scum!” “The Guild Master has arrived! The Guild Master is here!” “Hurrah!” Their cries reignited the waning spirit of battle. Swiftly, Icheonbaek charged along the opened path. “Slay the treacherous Taeweon Jin clan!” Jin Wi-gyeong, however, was not one to merely stand by and watch. “The time has come.” The Grand Elder responded. “I concur.” In truth, he was not pleased with Icheonbaek’s appearance. A certain level of attrition should have taken place for a more manageable cleanup. Yet the current damages between the Taeweon Jin clan and Hengshan Sword Sect could not be considered significant. 'It shouldn’t matter. In any case, 'they' will get involved. Although these two major powers claim dominance over Shanxi Province, compared to 'their' strength, they are insignificant.' How could the Taeweon Jin clan, which was considered a minor martial family even in its most prosperous days, possibly withstand them? ‘A mere martial household...’ Swallowing a bitter smile, the Grand Elder drew his sword. Srring. For many years, he had carried two swords. One at his chest, and one at his waist. Words were no longer necessary. “I’ll take care of Icheonbaek.” “As you wish.” And who was the Blood Wolf Sword, Icheonbaek, but a master who founded the Hengshan Sword Sect with just one sword and was now aiming to become a ruler of a city. Although an enemy, he had to be acknowledged as an unmatched martial artist. ‘I want to cross swords with him.’ But Jin Wi-gyeong suppressed his boiling blood. This was a battle upon which the fate of his family rested. He had to set aside his competitive desires. “Wei Peng!” “Yes.” Wei Peng, who had somehow drawn his sharp Xiefang Sword, stood by Jin Wi-gyeong’s side. “You and I will handle the rest.” “Understood.” His response was without a moment's hesitation. Jin Wi-gyeong smiled faintly and drew his sword. The treasured family blade passed down through the Taeweon Jin clan. The only item left behind on the day his father vanished without a trace. [I'll be traveling through Zhongyuan for a while. Use this in the meantime.] Recalling the letter haphazardly stuck in the sword’s sheath, Jin Wi-gyeong felt his blood boil anew. ‘Traveling in Zhongyuan, he says. After playing around for life.’ Where the clan head was now or what he was doing was unknown, and the second son thousands of miles away would only now be receiving his letter. ‘I must protect them.’ Warriors, servants, children. Right now, it wasn’t anyone else, but Jin Wi-gyeong who was the head of the Taeweon Jin clan. The lives and deaths of his people rested solely on his shoulders. ‘I will emerge victorious.’ Jin Wi-gyeong widened his eyes. With his sword raised high, he bellowed a dragon-like command. “Leave no one alive!” Shh-shh-shhh! Masters of the Taeweon Jin clan sprang into action. A fiery arrow arced high into the sky from behind as a signal. At that moment, dozens of shadows rose atop the cliff. “Fire!” As arrows rained down like a sudden storm, the decisive showdown between elite warriors commenced. * * * The Blood Wolf Sword Icheonbaek was a born martial artist. He had dispatched enemies with his innate talents and beast-like instincts and progressively realized his ambitions. He established the Hengshan Sword Sect, annexed neighboring factions one by one, and accumulated power. His goal was to lay the cornerstone for a renowned family recognized even in Zhongyuan. Guild Master! This son of mine... Then one day, his second son returned as a corpse. It was not the result of an honorable duel. He perished, vomiting blood from a deadly poison attack. Icheonbaek swore vengeance. He would kill and burn everything connected to the Taeweon Jin clan. And there, Jin Wi-gyeong appeared before him. Flames raged in Icheonbaek’s eyes. “You scum!” Icheonbaek lunged forward like a beast. The sword filled with power equivalent to that of a full strike gleamed milky white. With such power, it could cleave through any armor or weapon. ‘He will die, for sure!’ With certainty, Icheonbaek was about to swing his sword. “Oh ho, sword energy?” A low voice echoed from behind. Icheonbaek’s heart sank. 'How is this possible?' What a pitiful oversight, to leave his back vulnerable. Icheonbaek’s reaction was swift as lightning. He swung his sword backward in reverse grip. Swick. The sword pierced only air, buying Icheonbaek time. Only then could he confirm his adversary’s face. A well-organized beard cascading to his chest, a relaxed smile at the corners of his lips. A white-haired old man. Icheonbaek instantly recognized the old man's identity. “Phoenix Sword?” The Grand Elder nodded. “It’s been a while since I heard that. And you must be Icheonbaek?” “That’s right.” Even now, as he responded, Icheonbaek felt a chill down his spine. He didn’t dare to check where Jin Wi-gyeong was, or how the battle was unfolding. If he took his eyes off this opponent, his head might fall at any moment. 'Coincidence? No.' He admitted he was overly agitated upon seeing Jin Wi-gyeong. His mind had been impatient, too. Yet Icheonbaek was a supreme warrior. One among supreme warriors who had reached the state of forming sword qi. The answer was already clear. A master!’ Whether the technique was complete or half-done, this old man before him was a level above Icheonbaek. Icheonbaek clutched his beloved sword tightly. “I have heard of your reputation.” “What reputation? I’m just an old man confined to a back room.” “Then why have you stepped out instead of staying hidden?” “Youngsters like you wouldn’t understand. The older you get, sometimes you just have to move.” To the Grand Elder’s cheeky attitude, Icheonbaek gritted his teeth. 'Damn old man.' He had been watching the movements of the Taeweon Jin clan for a long time. He was aware a faction centered around the Grand Elder opposed the clan head. He had quietly hoped for internal discord. But the situation developed in an entirely unexpected direction. ‘When faced with external threats, they unite into one.’ With heavy eyes focused on the Grand Elder, Icheonbaek asked, “How strong are you?” “As much as you believe I am.” "It’s mere wordplay.” “When I was called the Phoenix Sword, I was only thirty.” By the age of thirty, the Grand Elder had already reached the pinnacle of martial arts. Now in his seventies, how much had his skills evolved? Pondering this, Icheonbaek chuckled to himself. ‘I’m growing old too.’ The Blood Wolf Sword. In his younger days, Icheonbaek was unstoppable. Without a distinguished master or exceptional skills, he faced everything alone. Even against a superior opponent, he wouldn’t retreat. Like a wolf, he would charge and bite them fiercely. ‘I spent half my life living like that... At some point, people began calling him the Guild Master instead of the Blood Wolf Sword.' Family, subordinates, wealth—the things he needed to protect piled up like mountains. His time spent training shortened, replaced by duties, and he used his head more than his sword. Just like now. “Why are you laughing?” The Grand Elder inquired as Icheonbaek responded. “I’m laughing at my own pathetic self.” “You're frightened of me.” Icheonbaek quietly nodded. “Do you fear death?” “For a brief moment.” “What about now?” “I’ll kill you.” “That’s beyond you.” “You never know until we face off, do you?” “That's what the shorter ones always say. But even when faced, the outcome doesn't change.” “You have a sharp tongue.” “And it’s not just the tongue.” The Grand Elder let his sword hang. The Qinggang Sword appeared ordinary, but in his hands, it unleashed a fierce, menacing aura. “By all means, make your move.” Icheonbaek didn’t refuse. The sword, imbued with power equivalent to a full strike, shimmered with a heat haze. The sword condition that countless martial artists dream of achieving, the state of Sword Energy (劍氣霜刃). Tsu-tsu-tsu. As the Sword Energy extended to three inches (about 10 cm), Icheonbaek’s form shot forward. The distinctive martial art, honed over countless battles, unfolded at his fingertips. Shwik, shishishishik! Kwahang! The Sword Energy slashed the air around them. Amidst the rising mounds of earth, screams erupted. “Arghhh!” Cries from the warriors caught in the crossfire. All were young voices. A red warning signal flashed in Icheonbaek’s mind. 'Behind!' As Icheonbaek turned, he swung his sword. He could see the white beard fluttering in the wind. In the old man’s hand, his sword too. Boom! ‘Ugh’ Caught off guard by the thunderous clash, Icheonbaek staggered back. There was no time to even notice the pain in his wrist. Boom! Boom! Boom! Each time their swords clashed, thunder echoed around them. The constant flurry of Sword Energy shattered the earth and split the wind. Shwishwishwing! “What in the world…” Warriors from both factions forgot their own battles, simply gazing in awe at the intense life-and-death duel. At that moment, everyone shared the same thought. 'Are they truly the same as us?' The relentless explosions and the mesmerizing display of Sword Energy seemed unreal. The two at the center moved faster and were stronger than anyone they had ever seen. Someone murmured in a soft groan. “This is what it’s like to be a supreme master…” To their eyes, it seemed anyone could win. But the balance of strength was clear. By the time they exchanged over three hundred moves, the Grand Elder's sword showed a change. Swick, seogok! “Kugh.” Icheonbaek bit his lip. Blood flowed profusely from his arm where the Grand Elder’s sword had grazed. The grip on his sword slackened. At the most critical moment. He quickly switched his sword to the other hand, but he was primarily a right-handed swordsman. Exerting ten times the effort wasn’t enough; now, with an injury to his sword-wielding arm, the battle’s outcome was all but decided. Bang! Crack. In a single blow, his wrist twisted. With his energy severely depleted, his Sword Energy couldn’t match the Grand Elder’s prowess. Yet, Icheonbaek didn’t give up. 'It’s not over yet.' He had endured even graver injuries. Icheonbaek tried to wield his sword using the strength of his arm, waist, and leg. Or at least, he attempted to. Chwaaak. This time, it was his knee. The severed tendon made his knee collapse, regardless of his will. His sword helplessly slashed through empty air. Puck. Puck, puck, puck. His side, shoulder, chest. Blazing pain pierced and slashed through his entire body like lightning fire. The fierce Sword Energy cut flesh and bone and even disrupted his internal organs. “Blurgh!” Icheonbaek retched, spewing blood mixed with fragments of his insides, and looked up at the Grand Elder with a blurred gaze. The old man’s face was impassive. There was neither the thrill of defeating an opponent nor the joy of ending a war. To him, all this was the natural outcome. “Cough, the best in Shanxi was right before my eyes.” “If not the best under the heavens, one is but a frontier warrior. Neither you nor I can claim that title.” “Name your desire. I offer my head.” “I’ll have my subordinates surrender, and I’ll seal the sect for ten, a hundred years if need be. So…” “That’s not possible. What I seek is annihilation. A complete eradication, leaving not even a blade of grass.” “Why…” “Don’t question it. Had you won, it would have been my home that was destroyed.” Icheonbaek glared at the Grand Elder with bloodshot eyes. He wanted to twist that wrinkled neck immediately. But all he, gravely injured, could do was squeeze out his voice. “The Taeweon Jin clan. It was you who started this. You killed that young boy, my son!” “Ah, Iseogun. Yes, it started with him.” The Grand Elder chuckled softly. Even the master of the Hengshan Sword Sect, which divided Shanxi Province, failed to realize 'their' involvement. Even as he faced imminent death. - When you meet the Grim Reaper, ask him who killed Iseogun. The transmitted voice pierced Icheonbaek’s ears, making his eyes widen. “What does that…” It was an impulsive act. Perhaps compassion for Icheonbaek, who was to die without knowing anything, or maybe it was a simple whim of an old man. - Consider it fare for the afterlife. Ponder it on your long journey. The Grand Elder raised his sword. The sunset breaking over the winter mountain ridge shattered against the sword's blade. 'With this… With the death of the giant known as Icheonbaek, the Hengshan Sword Sect would fall. Those who resisted would perish, and those who surrendered would be captured. Thus, one war would end... and a new war would begin. At the very moment when everyone was basked in the victory, 'It's over.' Finally, the Grand Elder’s sword moved. Swee-ae-aek-! A sharp sound pierced the air. Sensing his end, Icheonbaek closed his eyes. The blade, enveloped in blue sword energy, drew a beautiful arc. Seogok. However, the sound that preceded and the sword’s trajectory veered away from Icheonbaek’s expectations. Unexpectedly, the Grand Elder split a spear aiming for his back with his sword energy, and a frustrated voice erupted from his lips. "Who dares!" The next moment, a retort followed. "It's me, you bastard!" Standing atop a gentle hill, the young man's face was clear as the Grand Elder groaned. “Jin Taekyung?”